Seattle firefighters agree to forgo raises in 2011

With the city facing a $56 million budget shortfall next year, Seattle firefighters have agreed to give up their cost-of-living salary increases to spare cuts in fire service.

The Seattle Fire Fighters Union, Local 27, issued a statement Tuesday saying members would forgo a 2-percent raise promised in their labor contract. The move is estimated to save about $6.6 million – including $4.3 million next year.

“It’s very significant,” Beth Goldberg, Mayor Mike McGinn’s budget director, said of the move by the approximately 1,030 members of the bargaining unit.

The Seattle Fire Chiefs Union, Local 2898, which represents battalion chiefs and deputy chiefs, also has agreed to forgo 2 percent wage increases, according to the mayor’s office. That’ll save $127,000 for 2010 and $256,000 next year, Goldberg said.

Union officials say they’d rather see the money go to helping preserve 9-1-1 responses times, staffing and equipment. The firefighters’ union is in the second year of a three-year contract.

“Seattle Fire Fighters are totally committed to protecting the citizens of Seattle,” said Kenny Stuart, the union president. “Seattle Fire Fighters chose to take a cut in pay to make sure that vital emergency services are not cut instead.”

McGinn had asked unions citywide to forgo wages increases and so far has met little success. The mayor’s staff has been meeting with the fire unions to discuss where cuts might be have to be made without their help.

“I thank the Firefighters Local 27 as well as the Fire Chiefs Local 2898 for working to address the scale of the budget challenges we face. When the city has a budget deficit, and inflation is near zero, removing the automatic two percent cost of living increase is a practical and common sense way to reduce costs and protect essential services,” McGinn said in a news release.

Whether this gives McGinn some leverage with other unions remains to be seen.

McGinn already has made more than $12 million in cuts to this year’s budget, with the bulk coming from police, parks and libraries. The cuts were necessary due to continuing declines in business and sales tax revenue caused by the slow economy. Most city departments were asked to find 3 percent in savings this year, while the police and human services branches were asked to identify 1.5 percent that could be reduced from their budgets.

Last month King County Executive Dow Constantine asked most county workers to freeze their salaries next year. The county is facing a $60 million 2011 deficit. County labor leaders are still considering Constantine’s request.